Operation Thunderstruck gets underway

By Summer BarkleyAugust 7, 2012

Operation Thunderstruck gets underway so Soldiers can redeploy
1 / 4 Show Caption + Hide Caption – A Soldier assigned to 1st Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, watches as a contactor and Army civilian verify serial numbers on pieces of government furnished equipment at the AFSBn-Bagram, 401st Army Field Support Brigade redistribution pro... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Operation Thunderstruck gets underway so Soldiers can redeploy
2 / 4 Show Caption + Hide Caption – (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Operation Thunderstruck gets underway so Soldiers can redeploy
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Operation Thunderstruck gets underway so Soldiers can redeploy
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BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan--Operation Thunderstruck, the name given to the turn-in of equipment by Task Force Devil Hammer, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, got off to a successful start in the early morning hours of August 3 at the AFSBn-Bagram, 401st Army Field Support Brigade's redistribution property assistance team yard.

Trucks began rolling in shortly after 5 a.m. and by noon most of the Soldiers who came with the convoy had completed their turn-in and had a clean property book -- one more step on the road home. More than 20 trucks went through the RPAT process to remove the vehicles and government furnished equipment on the vehicles from the unit's property book and transfer it to the battalion's property book. The process was repeated on Aug. 7 when 14 trucks drove into the RPAT area at 4:20 a.m.

Once the property book transactions were complete and verified contractors assigned to the battalion began removing some of the government furnished equipment from the vehicles.

"We're removing all the GFE if the vehicle is being retrograded back to the States," said Alex C. McGinnis, Logistics Task Force Bagram deputy. "If the vehicle will be issued to other units, some of the GFE is left on it."

Vehicles, or rolling stock, are only part of the RPAT process. The unit is also turning in containers full of non-rolling stock ranging from small hand held devices to generators. As is the case with the vehicles, serial numbers are verified and when the paperwork is complete, the battalion takes the equipment from the unit and places it on the battalion property book.

"We're getting the Soldiers forward -- ahead of the paperwork," said Maj. Erin J. Harkins, 1/82 Brigade Logistics Support Team chief, Aug. 7. "We got a lot of good comments after the first day."

Chief Warrant Officer 2 Cedric T. Calloway, 1/82 property book officer, said things were 'going pretty good" and echoed Harkins on the importance of getting the paperwork correct before the vehicles roll into the yard.

"It's going good," said 1st Lt. Matthew D. Long. "Everybody is waiting for us and matching up the serial numbers, it's a good plan."

The TF Devil Hammer turn-in is being completed in the newly opened RPAT facility that allows for 24-hour operations in climate controlled buildings that can accommodate a larger number of vehicles at once than could be worked at the former location.

The turn-in is a one-stop process thanks to the partnership with 10th Sustainment Brigade, Task Force Muleskinner, who is running a four corners operation to remove other classes of supply items from the vehicles in an area adjacent to the RPAT area. Once the vehicles are approved to leave the four corners, they drive less than 200 yards to complete the turn-in process at the RPAT yard.

Related Links:

U.S. Army Materiel Command

U.S. Army Sustainment Command

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